BTW, something like this DID happen in our neck of the woods. A guy was travelling in remote areas alone to join some freinds camping. He stopped for some tea and before moving noticed something far away. They were two lost girls( 5 & 12 yo ). Apparently their family was camping and they went to take a leak and lost their way back. When the two girls saw him approaching in his jeep, they just froze in their place.

Maybe they were too exhausted to run any way. Or maybe seeing a car approaching means ( rescue ) in the subconcious, more than seeing a man sitting at a campfire ! I don't know.

After some radio communication, their family was found and they came for the girls. The family campsite was 16 miles away !!